Freddy Schott talks about nerves, mistakes and relief following his first DP World Tour victory in Bahrain.
After his win at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour, Freddy Schott was at a loss for words: ‘It still hasn’t quite sunk in. It will take a while, but it’s incredible,’ said the German from Düsseldorf after celebrating his first DP World Tour victory. In a dramatic playoff at the Royal Golf Club, Schott triumphed over Patrick Reed and Calum Hill, marking the most important chapter of his career so far.
Freddy Schott: \”Nerves kicked in from the back nine\”
The final day demanded everything from Schott. ‘It was tough, especially towards the end,’ he described. The start was ‘okay’ as he played reasonably well and maintained a good rhythm. But tension set in on the back nine: ‘Of course, nerves kicked in from there.’
Despite this, Schott kept his composure. ‘I was glad I managed it quite well— not perfect, but okay,’ he reflected. His imperfect play showed on hole 11. After a missed eagle on 10, an unfortunate tee shot went too far to the left. ‘The plan was to aim six or seven meters right of the pin, but I pulled it. Pulled shots often go long.’ The ball landed ‘very hot’ beyond the green, and the following chip missed. ‘Two putts, just a stupid double bogey.’
Birdies at the right time and a shared lead
Instead of letting the setback derail him, Schott made a conscious choice. ‘Normally we get a ride from 11 to 12, but I said: Okay, I won’t ride, I’ll walk to calm down and stay in the moment.’ He reminded himself of the essence of the sport: ‘These are the moments you’re here for; that’s why you play golf— so try to push the pedal and carry on.’
He did just that. ‘We played a beautiful shot on 12 and a good birdie on 13,’ Schott recounted, before focusing on just getting the ball home in the final holes. After 72 holes at 17 under par, he shared the lead with Reed and Hill, making a playoff inevitable. In the playoff, Schott kept his nerves. Two playoff holes were enough to seal victory: Hill faltered, Reed had already been eliminated— Schott stayed flawless and finished his triumph with a par.
Caddie as an anchor: \”We talked about everything but golf\”
His caddie played a key role. ‘Luckily, I spoke a lot with Taka,’ said Schott. ‘He kept me completely away from all those thoughts. We talked about everything but golf— and that was great.’ His conclusion: ‘He did an incredible job this week, and I couldn’t be happier working with him.’
The emotional moment after the final putt was hard to put into words. ‘How I feel is indescribable. I have no words,’ Schott said. One thing was clear: ‘I’m just glad I got it over the